OSE Linux is a freely downloadable operating system that contains all software that is used regularly at OSE. It is run as a Live USB without the user having to modify or upset their usual operating system in any way whatsoever.

This addresses the tens of hours that it would potentially take to download and configure all the software and libraries in common use by OSE. Instead, a single install, taking under half hour of dedicated user time after download, is sufficient to download the entire operating system.

It is a good practice for OSE Developers to download and use the system to avoid software malfunction, improper settings, and in general the time it takes to download or install various software and its extensions, such as additional workbenches in FreeCAD, browser plugins, etc. OSE uses only open source software to produce all of its work product to facilitate interoperability with a large global team of developers.

Please note that OSE uses a lot of custom software - so please save yourself hours of install time and and just download the prepared OSE Linux. We are doing this to make your life easy. Note also that you should not run OSE Linux in a Virtual Machine, as a Virtual Machine will be much slower at computation intensive tasks such as CAD.

OSE Linux can be used by downloading the ISO, and creating a bootable USB stick. Instead of using one's regular operating system, one can choose - upon startup - to run the OSE Linux operating system from a USB stick, without installing it on one's hard drive. Note that currently you can't save files on the Live Linux - so upload any documents to your log, the wiki, or use cloud-documents where data is not saved locally.

Sep 9 release
All programs are now arranged to some extent, no setup of cura or freecad needed. All programs asked to date are added and functional. The screen is setup for the working with the OSE software and not just the default look.
Some people came up with an issue regarding the ethernet connection, although there wasn't much testing yet, the top answer of this question may help Wifi Ubuntu Live CD. This will be adressed when a solution is found.
The Download Link is here

Sep 3 release
same as last version, fixed some breaking bugs and added some basic options as default, as well as the program debsums. This version should be fully operable and its recommended updating to it
The Download Link is hereAug 23 release
A new version has been released with further, sophisticated options. Some of them are not in an optimal stage, so I am awaiting some feedback how the default should look like. That means setting up the different software parts in a way thats most convenient and sharing it in the software list. As for now, in the /opt folder (filemanager > system > opt) there is the Macro sheet for freecad and the .ini for the d3d for Cura. The Marlin Software can be found in the examples os the arduino software
The Download link is hereAPR 28 hybrid release
Link to shared Google Drive folder containing all versions[1]
The CURRENT OSE Live iso is named 4-28-17ose0.42.iso

How to Create the ISO on an Existing Ubuntu System (For developers - This is not the end-user HowTo)[edit]

We are using the customizer by kamilion:
https://github.com/kamilion/customizer/wiki/First-guide
however, there is a problem with the iso creation process:
we need to modify the source code, as the kernel download will otherwise fail and disturb the creation of the iso. This has of course to be done before the compiling into a deb file. For that, we have to edit:
/{Unzipped Master}/src/actions/rebuild.py
go to the line

detect_boot()

and look under it, there should be a line going like

if config.KERNEL is not default

comment that out (with #) until next else (including the else) and then correct the intendation (as python is very sensitive to that), meaning everything to the next empty line has to be moved left one 4 whitespaces. In the end, it should look like this:

There most of the things are pretty self-explainatory or described on the github page, we will be using the chroot console to setup our iso.
The following commands will setup the system:Basic Installation of programs

Custom User settings
To make the user experience perfect, we need to adjust some user settings for the freshly logged in user. Unfortunately, the user for the live CD is created on the fly, therefore it cannot be preparated. However, it is possible to manipulate every new user that is created by providing their default folders and everything.
This means, we will preparate the user by setting it up: Run the not created ISO by burning it to a stick, hosting it with a vm or similar, and set it up in a way that everything important is added and set. This includes cleaning the desktop and preparing the taskbar, starting Freecad and installing macros and commands there, and prepare Cura to create GCode for the OSE D3D Printer (More details on that is provided on the software list to the specific task). Additionally, the set setup.sh from the arduino folder must be run to make it a valid program for the user.
When that is done, copy the ENTIRE personal folder (including all hidden folders) into a safe place in the network, as the live CD will not remember any changes. A Cloud, NAS, or simply scp will do the job, however remember not to leave traces, like a remembered password or personal data, as they will be replicated to every new User of the ISO!!!
When you did that, copy all those files (the hidden included, better double check) into the /etc/skel directory of your chroot (you can do that with scp as well as just adding it into the filesystem that is chrooted on the main system).
The skel folder is basically replicated as a blueprint to every new created user, so every setting left there is then carried forward to the new created user. Rebuild the ISO, and you should be done!

We are documenting which systems work successfully for Live boot and/or install of the OSE Linux ISO.

Please document 3 things:

Version of the OSE Linux you are trying to boot and/or install - date or link to the download from above. Note that new versions will be published quarterly. It is impotant to keep notes on the specific version that you are using so there is no confusion on which OSE Linux versions are successful

Hardware you are using, such as Dell Precision M6500 Laptop

Operating system that you are using on your hardware - such as Ubuntu 16.04.

Objective: A bootable USB stick that provides the OSE Live desktop, and will run all the OSE programs without touching any existing locally installed OS on the computer.
It's a way to test, and use, the OSE programs (3D design, 2D design, video capture and edit, resource management) and not disturb the current computer setup.

Technical support is a service of huge importance to the OSE community. As a Distributive Enterprise, OSE is interested in self-maintaining technical support base that can scale to millions of users.

To achieve this, part of our strategy is to utilize OSE Linux as an essential aspect of OSE's technical support. This is a managed distribution that works out all software-related issues for the OSE community - by providing a Linux distribution that just works.

Software-related issues stand in the way of seamless, distributed, open source collaboration. Overall, OSE Linux saves the OSE developer/user community thousands to millions of hours of total time that would otherwise be spent with people downloading software and making it work. To address this issue, OSE is proposing that any OSE user or developer obtains a copy of OSE Linux. This allows for a completely uniform way to eliminate all software related issues: improper installs, drivers, libraries, package conflicts, bad settings, security issues, software crashes, updates, and any other software issues. This is done by installing and using an entire OSE operating system, with all software prepared. The goal is to produce a stable and widely accessible system that can be run from a USB or that can be installed as a Multi-Boot System. The release schedule for updates will be quarterly.